No. 1295 Building Military-Industry-University Link
The Kishida government specified that a ‘defense production/technology basis constitutes the nation’s defense capability itself’ in the three documents recently released on national security. It is very eager to rebuild the military-industrial complex framework. The administration aims to shape up a link of the military, industry and academic domains. We, the New Socialist Party (NSP) will never accept the initiative.
DOES THE GOVERNMENT BRING UP MERCHANTS OF DEATH?
The current Kishida government is pushing further up the shift made in the national security policy, which is the biggest change seen after the World War II; it aims to rehabilitate military industries, which means to make them powerful and sustainable.
Related budgets count over approximately 4.5 trillion yen in five years to come. The government embraces an ardent nationalist wish that ‘defense production/technology basis constitutes the nation’s defense capability itself’ behind the allocation of money.
Nationalization – An option
The axis of the initiative to boost up military industries lies in the further enhancement of production basis. The state authority is to bring up capabilities in the production and renovation areas by having private business entities introduce sophisticated technologies, including AI. In the 2023 fiscal budget plan the administration appropriated 36.3 billion yen for the program.
In addition, concerning companies having difficulties in continuing their business, the government is planned to nationalize their manufacturing facilities. It will present a new bill to the current ordinary Diet session to implement the policy.
Cutting-edge technologies for both military & civilian uses
Secondly, the government aims to strengthen the technological basis through exploration, development and application of the latest technologies; it will actively help private companies and universities to research frontier technologies and will incorporate the outcomes to apply in the military arena. A dual-use role of technologies leads to establishment of the military-industrial complex. In the fiscal 2023 budget plan 18.8 billion yen was allotted, which is a big growth.
Thirdly, the government is to promote weapons’ export under the state’s initiative. It will review the current practice, which is regulated by the three rules on the defense equipment and transfer; they restrict export purposes to missions of ‘rescuing, transporting, guarding, monitoring and minesweeping’, and will reappraise the operational guidelines. The plan will allow export of lethal weapons, including fighters and missiles, and will open a path to export and offer secondhand arms free-of-charge. It will make the country a ‘merchant of death’. A budget of 40 billion yen was compiled in the 2023 fiscal to set up a fund with an objective for handover of defense equipment.
Joint development efforts of Japan, UK and Italy
Under these circumstances the government of Japan stresses a project to jointly develop a next-generation fighter together with UK and Italy, which is assessed as the key to develop the nation’s military industries and defense capabilities. The administration will invest a huge amount of money in the plan to develop and concentrate cutting-edge technologies on the premise of exporting. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. and others will join. The new fighter will be deployed in the year 2035, and 344.4 billion yen was appropriated already, including the budget for the fiscal 2023.
The next-generation fighter will command groups of unmanned aerial vehicles, which are jointly industrialized between the US and Japan, and each fighter will actively work as an aircraft carrier in the sky.
At the moment the Peace Constitution is being eroded without changing the written articles. The military-industrial complex represents an example that removes a threshold to separate the military use from the civilian one.
The NSP steadfastly rejects the government’s plan to build up a military-industrial-academic link that will put the society under the military-dominant policy.
戦後の安全保障政策の大転換を推し進める岸田政権は、軍事産業の復活をも目論んでいる。軍事産業の「力強く持続可能な産業」への育成である。
関連予算は向こう５年間で約４兆５千億円に上る。背後には、「我が国の防衛生産・技術基盤は、防衛力そのもの」という国家主義者の執念がある。
国有化も選択肢に
目論まれている軍事産業再構築の第一の柱は、生産基盤の再強化。国が各企業にＡＩ技術など先進技術を導入させて生産や改修での能力向上をはかる。23年度予算案では、この体制整備に３６３億円を計上した。
さらに事業継続困難企業について、製造施設の国有化にも踏み込む。この新法案を今の通常国会に提出する予定だ。
軍民両用先端技術
第二が、先端技術の発掘・育成・活用による技術基盤の強化。民間企業や大学での先端技術研究を強力に支援し、成果を軍事用にも取り込み利用する。「デュアルユース」と呼ばれ、日本での軍産学複合体制へ繋がる。23年度予算案では１８８億円を組み、大幅に拡充した。
第三が、国主導での武器輸出の促進。輸出を「救難、輸送、警戒、監視、掃海」に限定している現行の装備移転三原則と運用指針を見直す。戦闘機やミサイルなど殺傷兵器の輸出も可能にし、また、中古武器の輸出・無償提供にも道を開く。日本を「死の商人」とする道だ。
23年度予算案では、これら防衛装備移転推進を目的とする基金用に４００億円を計上した。
日英伊で新戦闘機
これら動向の中で日本の軍事産業の成否と国防の命運を握るとさえ言われるのが、日英伊共同での次世代戦闘機の製造だ。輸出が前提で、最先端技術を開発・集中させ膨大な資金を投入する。三菱重工業などが参加。日本は35年配備を予定し、23年度予算案を含め既に３４４４億円を計上。
次世代戦闘機は、米国と共同開発する無人機群を率い、一機一機が空の航空母艦として遊弋（ゆうよく）する。 いま憲法の平和主義が、条文を変えないまま掘り崩されている。民生と軍事の垣根を除く軍産学複合体制も、その一つだ。新社会党は、社会の有り様を軍事で染める軍産学体制に強く反対する。
英訳版↓
No. 1295 Building Military-Industry-University Link
The Kishida government specified that a ‘defense production/technology basis constitutes the nation’s defense capability itself’ in the three documents recently released on national security. It is very eager to rebuild the military-industrial complex framework. The administration aims to shape up a link of the military, industry and academic domains. We, the New Socialist Party (NSP) will never accept the initiative.
DOES THE GOVERNMENT BRING UP MERCHANTS OF DEATH?
The current Kishida government is pushing further up the shift made in the national security policy, which is the biggest change seen after the World War II; it aims to rehabilitate military industries, which means to make them powerful and sustainable.
Related budgets count over approximately 4.5 trillion yen in five years to come. The government embraces an ardent nationalist wish that ‘defense production/technology basis constitutes the nation’s defense capability itself’ behind the allocation of money.
Nationalization – An option
The axis of the initiative to boost up military industries lies in the further enhancement of production basis. The state authority is to bring up capabilities in the production and renovation areas by having private business entities introduce sophisticated technologies, including AI. In the 2023 fiscal budget plan the administration appropriated 36.3 billion yen for the program.
In addition, concerning companies having difficulties in continuing their business, the government is planned to nationalize their manufacturing facilities. It will present a new bill to the current ordinary Diet session to implement the policy.
Cutting-edge technologies for both military & civilian uses
Secondly, the government aims to strengthen the technological basis through exploration, development and application of the latest technologies; it will actively help private companies and universities to research frontier technologies and will incorporate the outcomes to apply in the military arena. A dual-use role of technologies leads to establishment of the military-industrial complex. In the fiscal 2023 budget plan 18.8 billion yen was allotted, which is a big growth.
Thirdly, the government is to promote weapons’ export under the state’s initiative. It will review the current practice, which is regulated by the three rules on the defense equipment and transfer; they restrict export purposes to missions of ‘rescuing, transporting, guarding, monitoring and minesweeping’, and will reappraise the operational guidelines. The plan will allow export of lethal weapons, including fighters and missiles, and will open a path to export and offer secondhand arms free-of-charge. It will make the country a ‘merchant of death’. A budget of 40 billion yen was compiled in the 2023 fiscal to set up a fund with an objective for handover of defense equipment.
Joint development efforts of Japan, UK and Italy
Under these circumstances the government of Japan stresses a project to jointly develop a next-generation fighter together with UK and Italy, which is assessed as the key to develop the nation’s military industries and defense capabilities. The administration will invest a huge amount of money in the plan to develop and concentrate cutting-edge technologies on the premise of exporting. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. and others will join. The new fighter will be deployed in the year 2035, and 344.4 billion yen was appropriated already, including the budget for the fiscal 2023.
The next-generation fighter will command groups of unmanned aerial vehicles, which are jointly industrialized between the US and Japan, and each fighter will actively work as an aircraft carrier in the sky.
At the moment the Peace Constitution is being eroded without changing the written articles. The military-industrial complex represents an example that removes a threshold to separate the military use from the civilian one.
The NSP steadfastly rejects the government’s plan to build up a military-industrial-academic link that will put the society under the military-dominant policy.
February 15, 2023